'Shows We’re Growing’: Priyank Kharge’s Bizarre Justification For Bengaluru’s Traffic Woes

After Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar compared Bengaluru’s traffic woes to London’s, Congress leader Priyank Kharge made a bizarre justification of his own, suggesting that the city’s crippling congestion is a “sign of growth.”

Kharge said that while traffic remains a challenge, it also reflects the rapid pace of economic development and job creation in the state capital.

“About 75.5 per cent of Bengaluru’s population is part of the working population. We rank fourth globally. It’s a good problem to have traffic issues — it shows we’re growing, though we must solve it,” Kharge said, highlighting that nearly 47 per cent of the 77.92 million square feet of office space sold to global capability centres across India last year was in Bengaluru.

Also Read: ‘Even In London…’ DK Shivakumar Defends Bengaluru Traffic, Calls Concerns ‘Exaggerated’

He added that the city continues to attract a large number of migrants due to its job opportunities and currently has about 1.2 crore registered vehicles, including 82 lakh two-wheelers and 25 lakh four-wheelers.

Just a day earlier, DK Shivakumar had drawn comparisons between Bengaluru’s traffic and that of London and Delhi, claiming that the issue gets more attention because “media is free in Karnataka unlike in other states.” Both leaders’ comments have drawn sharp reactions online, with many accusing the Congress government of downplaying a civic crisis that continues to frustrate residents daily.